Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Flockmaster of Poison Creek
The Flockmaster of Poison Creek

Chapter XXVII

Chapter 27 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek is here in full — 132 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By George W. (George Washington) Ogden • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Flockmaster of Poison Creek
Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.
Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.
He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.
It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.
Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Flockmaster of Poison Creek

Chapter XXVII

Chapter 27 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek is here in full — 132 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.
Line 2
Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.
/məˈkenzi sæt ʌp ə tʃɪl ɪn hɪz boʊnz fɔːr hiː hæd ˈfɑːlən əˈsliːp ɑːn wɑːtʃ bɪˈsaɪd ðə ˈæʃ.ɪz ʌv hɪz ˈsʌpər ˈfaɪər/
Line 3
He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.
/hiː ˈlɪsənd ðə ræk ʌv sliːp ˈklɪrɪŋ frʌm hɪz breɪn ɪn ə breθ/
Line 4
It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.
/ɪt wɑːz dæd ˈfreɪzər ənd ðə ˈaʊər wɑːz pæst ðə tɜːrn ʌv naɪt/
Line 5
Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.
/məˈkenzi ˈænsərd ðə saʊnd ʌv ə hɔːrs ˈʌndər weɪ ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

ashes noun US /ˈæʃ.ɪz/

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

From this reading “Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.”

Velmora curated lexicon
chill noun US /tʃɪl/

coldness due to a cold environment

From this reading “Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
clearing noun US /ˈklɪrɪŋ/

a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area

From this reading “He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Dad noun US /dæd/

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk

From this reading “It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Frazer noun US /ˈfreɪzər/

English social anthropologist noted for studies of primitive religion and magic (1854-1941)

From this reading “It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Mackenzie noun US /məˈkenzi/

Canadian explorer (born in England) who explored the Mackenzie River and who was first to cross North America by land north of Mexico (1764-1820)

From this reading “Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rack verb US /ræk/

go at a rack

From this reading “He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
summons noun US /ˈsʌmənz/

a request to be present

From this reading “A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

immediately following adverb + adjective

In this reading “Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.”

434 times in 426,212 chapters
on the hill preposition + article + noun counted as “on … hill”

In this reading “A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.”

9,574 times in 426,212 chapters
under way preposition + noun

in motion; set in motion

In this reading “Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.”

4,094 times in 426,212 chapters

All words in this reading · 50

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ashesnounUS /ˈæʃ.ɪz/

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

Velmora curated lexicon
asleepadjectiveUS /əˈsliːp/

in a state of sleep

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bonesnounUS /boʊnz/

(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
brainnounUS /breɪn/

that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
breathnounUS /breθ/

the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing

From this reading He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
callingnounUS /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/

the particular occupation for which you are trained

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/

coldness due to a cold environment

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
clearingnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/

a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area

From this reading He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DadnounUS /dæd/

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk

From this reading It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fallenadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlən/

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
FrazernounUS /ˈfreɪzər/

English social anthropologist noted for studies of primitive religion and magic (1854-1941)

From this reading It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
horsenounUS /hɔːrs/

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
INprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
listenedverbUS /ˈlɪsənd/

past form of “listen” — hear with intention

From this reading He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MackenzienounUS /məˈkenzi/

Canadian explorer (born in England) who explored the Mackenzie River and who was first to cross North America by land north of Mexico (1764-1820)

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NIGHTnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rackverbUS /ræk/

go at a rack

From this reading He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sheep-wagon

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

Pending verification
sleepnounUS /sliːp/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading He listened, the rack of sleep clearing from his brain in a breath.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SomebodypronounUS /ˈsʌmbɑːdi/

a person, without saying who

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SUMMONSnounUS /ˈsʌmənz/

a request to be present

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
suppernounUS /ˈsʌpər/

a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
turnverbUS /tɜːrn/

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading It was Dad Frazer, and the hour was past the turn of night.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading A SUMMONS IN THE NIGHT Somebody was calling on the hill behind the sheep-wagon.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
watchverbUS /wɑːtʃ/

look attentively

From this reading Mackenzie sat up, a chill in his bones, for he had fallen asleep on watch beside the ashes of his supper fire.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Mackenzie answered, the sound of a horse under way immediately following.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 27 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek by George W. (George Washington) Ogden holds 132 sentences, grouped into 27 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 27 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek contain?

Chapter 27 holds 132 sentences of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 27 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek by George W. (George Washington) Ogden exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 132 sentences, grouped into 27 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 27 of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 27 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 27 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Flockmaster of Poison Creek

Common questions about reading The Flockmaster of Poison Creek by George W. (George Washington) Ogden on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek?

Yes. All 4612 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29668 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29668, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Flockmaster of Poison Creek take to read?

About 384 minutes of reading across 923 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Flockmaster of Poison Creek section by section

How to work through The Flockmaster of Poison Creek section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 29 chapters of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Flockmaster of Poison Creek

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Flockmaster of Poison Creek, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chimney
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Butte
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
United
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Flockmaster of Poison Creek; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.